Historical Brown v. Board of Education decision examined throughout academic year at Loyola

The College of Arts and Sciences at Loyola University New Orleans announces a year-long series of faculty-led intellectual explorations of issues that face this community and the world. This year the forum’s theme is Brown v. Board ofEducation: 50 Years Later.

The momentous Supreme Court decision striking down school segregation has a complicated history and legacy. Serious debates have raged for years about the merits of the decision itself and its consequences, legal and social, intended and unintended. This year’s four events will examine the substance and implications of the brown decision from various angles and through many eyes.

The first event is scheduled for Wednesday, October 13, at 7 p.m. in Nunemaker Auditorium in Monroe Hall. “The Desegregation of New Orleans Schools: From Those Who Were There,” a documentary featuring people who were witnesses and participants in the events surrounding the desegregation of schools in New Orleans. A roundtable discussion follows.

In November, a multi-disciplinary presentation and dialogue titled “Perspectives on Brown v. Board of Education” will focus on issues raised in the decision itself: legal reasoning, judicial rhetoric, novel use of social-scientific evidence, and the limits of legal remedies.

In January, “Brown v. Board: Social Consequences,” focuses on a paper with a response on the issue of whether the Brown decision has improved the American educational system, the social fabric of the nation, and access to education for the African-American community.

In March, leading educators will discuss questions of how to move forward a more effective and just educational system in a forum titled “The Way Forward for Education Reform.” Topics to be covered include accountability, testing, school vouchers, and the role universities can play in improving K-12 education.